Product Code: ICA10_306

Drilling of Aluminum with High Power Q-Switched Lasers
Authors:
Leonard Migliore, Coherent, Inc.; Santa Clara CA USA
George Nazary, Coherent, Inc.; Santa Clara CA USA
Presented at ICALEO 2010

Advances in the design of gain modules for diode-pumped solid-state lasers have allowed the manufacture of extremely compact high power products with an output wavelength of 1064nm. Their high Q-switched pulse energy combined with good mode quality also enable highly efficient harmonic conversion, resulting in a product producing several hundred watts of average power at a wavelength of 532nm.

Among the applications for which these products may be suited is the rapid drilling of high-quality holes in aluminum sheet. This paper examines the parameter range for efficient drilling in a variety of aluminum alloys including 2024, 6061, 5052,7075 and 3003. The hole geometry and metallurgical effects of the drilling process are investigated by metallographic examination.